Humpy’s Big Island Alehouse & The Frisky Seal announced plans to host a 2-night, 2-show comedy festival featuring 5 stand-up comics from around the islands to assist service members who have been injured in the line of duty. All proceeds from the Big Island Comedy Fest! will be donated to the nonprofit organization Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), and will support a full range of programs and services for this generation of injured veterans and their families.

Over 47,000 servicemen and women have been injured in the recent military conflicts. In addition to the physical wounds, it is estimated as many as 400,000 service members live with the invisible wounds of war including combat-related stress, major depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Another 320,000 are believed to have experienced a traumatic brain injury while on deployment.

WWP’s 18 programs and services are uniquely structured to nurture the mind and body, and encourage economic empowerment and engagement.

Tickets: $25 presale, $30 at the door. There is a 2-drink minimum with a portion going to WWP. Also a silent auction will be auctioning off products and services from local businesses with all proceeds going to WWP. Tickets can be purchased at Humpy’s, Frisky Seal, Soundwave Music in the Old Industrial Area and Music Exchange in the King Kamehameha Mall.

Humpy’s Big Island Alehouse hosted a lanai sunset dinner for 10 Wounded Warriors in October, and is a proud supporter of our troops putting themselves in harm’s way. Event organizer, John Ruiz Jr., is a volunteer and fundraiser (and USAF veteran) for the Kona VFW Post 12122, and the West Hawaii Special Olympics delegation. A 5-year Special Olympics’ coach, and is co-organizer of the 2012 & 2013 Special Olympics Bus Pull Competition.

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Humpy’s Big Island Alehouse and the Frisky Seal are the paramount pubs in Kona for beer lovers. Now it’s the place for comedy too!

About Wounded Warrior Project TM

The mission of Wounded Warrior Project™ (WWP) is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org

The University of Hawai’i Warrior football team will close out its two-game, season-ending home stand by hosting UNLV in a Mountain West contest, Saturday, Nov. 24 at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium. Kick-off is 6:00 p.m.

Media Release:

Kapono means “righteous” in Hawaiian, and Henry Kapono will deliver some righteous Hawaiian music Sunday, May 15, 2011 at the Big Island Film Festival Best of the Fest Concert at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai’i Plantation Estate.

Henry Kapono

Athlete, self taught musician, singer, songwriter, traveler, author and actor, Kapono is part of Hawaii’s groundbreaking duo, Cecilio & Kapono, which reunites annually. His musical career, including 14 solo albums starting with “Stand in the Light” in 1981, has achieved numerous Nā Hōkū Hanohano Awards and a Grammy nomination for “The Wild Hawaiian.” Described as “a very ‘Bohemic’ collage of innovation and creativity continually evolving in a way that very few artists are able to sustain,” Kapono’s music reaches out to a broad international fan community.

“Henry is a fabulous addition to this year’s Big Island Film Festival,” said Executive Director Leo Sears. “Not only will his music wow the crowd at Best of the Fest on Sunday, he’s an actor in one of the movies ‘Get a Job’ starring Willie K and Eric Gilliom on Thursday night at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii Plantation Estate.”

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Tickets go on sale April 1, and can be purchased on line at www.BigIslandFilmFestival.com. Best of the Fest tickets are $40 at the door ($30 kama‘āina) and $35 in advance ($25 kama‘āina), $10 keiki 6-12. Admission includes Henry Kapono Concert, the audience-voted Best Feature and Best Short Films of BIFF 2011 and Silent Auction to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project for America’s veterans. In addition, Hilo’s own Kristina Anapau (“Black Swan”) will make a special appearance and receive a Big Island Film Festival Ha’aheo Award.

The Big Island “Talk Story” Film Festival, a celebration of independent narrative films and filmmaking, takes place May 11˗15, 2011 at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i and The Shops at Mauna Lani. (Self-parking validated.) Individual event tickets and passes are available April 1.

Wednesday, May 11, 7:30 p.m. Free Grand Opening May 11 at The Shops at Mauna Lani, to welcome the filmmakers and celebrities, and enjoy short films.